Tips for Hair Color at Home

I use NATURTINT, you can get it at wholefoods and when on sale, it's about 14 dollars.. less chemical smelling than leading brands...
also, it covers grey nicely but you do need to leave it on for awhile to get those stubborn greys..
also... if you have long hair,it's harder to really do a good job with it, meaning you have to lift all those strands of hair to get the scalp area, in which case, have a friend help you. IF short like mine (VERY short) then it's simple.. I just put the color on, leave on for about 45 min...and shampoo... it's so simple..
I've had to try out different tones.. you ll never get the exact look on the bod because in those pics, they also add highlights. but you can get close..
again, Naturtint has been a good brand for me..

good look

I use henna too - Light Mountain brand red. It does take longer, but there's no ammonia, so my house doesn't smell like a week-old diaper, and my hair doesn't get fried.
Turns my dark blond/light brown hair auburn, and the grey ones become copper highlights. Lasts about six weeks.
I will NEVER pay salon prices for hair color again.

Just be sure to part your hair into sections to apply the dye and take your time. I have been dying mine at home for years. Paid to have it done at the salon one time just to see if it made any difference. Only difference was it took 3 times longer at the salon. I think they purposely take a long time so they can justify the price they charge!

It's pretty easy, especially if you are matching your natural hair color and not do something drastically different from what you've got.

Here are my tips:
1) put conditioner on your skin around your hairline and on the back of your neck and on your ears. That will help keep any stray dye from staining your skin.
2) I like to have a cheap plastic shower cap to wear for the 40 min that I leave the dye on my head so I don't accidentally get dye on anything.
3) I wear a very old shirt because I get some drips of dye on it every time. I also put an old towel on the floor in case of drips.

Once you get to redoing it to cover roots - I called the number on the box to find out what the ratio of color to developer is for my exact brand and shade. Now, every other time I do my hair, I just mix up a small amount in a little plastic dish and cover the grays in my part, bangs, and at my hairline. This way I only have to dye my entire head every other time (so, like every 3 months since I do the touch-up in between). My hair is staying very healthy this way. And a single box of dye lasts longer - 1 touchup, and then 1 full treatment.

Have fun!
I did that for awhile but it got to a point where I had to dye my hair every month and it was frying my hair.
It was brittle, felt like straw, the color would fade quickly, it broke easily and I had split ends everywhere.
The dyeing process pretty much punches holes in your hair.
The more you dye, the more damage accumulates and there is no repairing it - it just has to grow out.

So, I eventually switched to henna.
My natural color is brown with streaks of grey.
With the henna I get a beautiful auburn and the grey becomes coppery highlights.
I use body art quality henna about once every 8 weeks and my hair is strong, smooth, shines, I no longer have a single split hair on my head and I can grow it a long longer than I use to be able to.
I like knowing I can get a beautiful color with a ground up powdered plant and vinegar.
My scalp loves it, I get no exposure to PPD like I did with commercial dyes.
The process does take longer.
I mix my mix up the night before and keep it slightly warm for dye release and then I smush it on my hair, wrap it in cling wrap and a towel and let it sit for about 5 hours before washing it out with a cheap conditioner.
The color is a little bright for 24 hrs then mellows/oxidizes slightly and I'm a glorious red head once again!

I get that red is not everyone's cup of tea.
If you want to try more for brown, you can mix some indigo in with your henna.

In case you are interested, here's a site that tells you more than you would ever want to know about it (but I just LOVE their site!):

http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/

assuming you are goingto get a commercial drug store hair dye.

1. do the allergy test they recommend. better an allergic reaction on a patch on your arm, than all over your scalp.

2. wear a junky shirt that opens in the front as you will get dye on it if you try to pull it off to shower.

3. vaseline along your hairline, behind your ears, at the nape of your neck can prevent you from accidentally dyeing your skin.

4. get a cheap wide toothed comb to help you get your hair in sections.

5. those hairclips which operate like clothespins can help you keep your hair out of the way as you are dying the rest.

6. if you have any questions about what color to use and what the overall affect will be call the number on the side of the box, they are incredibly helpful.

7. rinse super well.

Best,
F. B.

I use NATURTINT like AL. It covers the gray really well and is simple to use. It's considered non-toxic so there's no need to worry about the skin around the hairline or the traditional problems you have with box hair color. There is also plenty to color very long hair. I buy mine at the Vitamin Shoppe and it's usually around $15. No awful smell and no headaches when I'm through!

M. :)

Stick with a neutral tone,and go one color lighter than your natural color. Boxed color tends to come out darker than anticipated

Don't do it! Find a stylist who's a good colorist and let them do it. Yes, it will cost you more, but you will be happier and your hair will thank you.

I always just go for it. I start at the roots and work my way out, but it is actually pretty hard to mess up box dye as long as you make sure all the hair is covered. Now if you decide to make the move to a natual henna dye then do your research, there was a lot I did not know the first time I used henna that effected my color outcome.

Hi, Mama:

Go to the beauty shop.
Pamper yourself.
D.